Pledge of the Wisteria
by Ion Halo
Summary: My take on Himejima's life with the orphans before he became a Pillar. Manga spoilers: chapter 135 onwards
1. Chapter 1

His nimble feet flew past the hard ground, not daring to slow down even a pace. The sounds of the irate villagers trailed after him, spewing toxic words, cursing his pathetic existence.

The fires of hatred ignited within Kaigaku. Why would the villagers treat an orphan like him with such contempt? Had they no compassion?

Kaigaku had no memory of his parents. His life was void of a parental figure; it was a miracle he managed to stay alive after all these years. He did all he could to eke by.

He had chanced upon a pile of rejected food, dumped behind a restaurant. His stomach screamed in delight, for he had not even consumed a single morsel of food for days. Kaigaku slumped near the food, stuffing his face full of them, revelling in the rich flavour.

"Hey! What are you doing, you disgusting thief? How dare you steal my food," yelled a voice from within the restaurant. The owner of the voice appeared, brandishing a kitchen knife. Staring down at the dirty child, he offered no sympathy.

Kaigaku stared at the restaurant owner, confused. Were the food scraps not considered as trash to an average villager? Why not let him nourish himself, instead of letting good food go to waste? He knew better than to challenge the restaurant owner in a battle of wits, so he bolted from the area.

He attracted the attention of the passers-by by doing so. They, in turn, joined forces with the restaurant owner in pursuing Kaigaku.

"Isn't that the cutpurse?"

"Wasn't he the one who has stolen your clothes before?"

"I don't care what he did. We'll capture and punish the little brat,"

Kaigaku tried his best to suppress his fear. If he were to cower now, he might not be able to make it out alive.

He ran and ran. When he began to take notice of his surroundings, he was utterly befuddled. The orange sunset has already dyed the sky purple, gradually bleeding into black. Lush greenery surrounded him. Willing himself to stay calm before looking for a way out, Kaigaku sat on a tree root, collecting his thoughts. It was truly an unfortunate day for him. Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a strange scent. It was probably a type of flower. He sought after the scent, wishing for the best. The pleasant aroma calmed his nerves, and he began to feel optimistic. Soon, stumbled upon an abandoned temple.

"Himejima-san, I see a child somewhere out there,"

Kaigaku froze._ 'There were people living out here in the woods?' _he thought, immediately taking cover. Looking around, he tried to find the origin of the voice. It seemingly permeated from the temple.

"Where did you see the child?" asked an older person. Kaigaku watched the pair as the former lit a lantern and reached out for the child's hand. Despite the lanterns dim glow, Kaigaku noticed that the man's eyes were milky, akin to the full moon. He loosened only slightly. A blind man should be easy to confront, should the situation turn ugly. He sidled away from his hiding spot, revealing himself. The child is almost the same age as he, he guessed.

"There he is! Quickly, Himejima-san," the boy tugged the blind man along, stopping before Kaigaku.

"Isshiki, would you mind describing the child to me?" asked the blind man.

Isshiki assessed Kaigaku for a moment before saying, "He looks rather dirty and beaten up; his clothes are also all torn up,"

"Did you get lost in this forest, boy? I can take you back to the village in the morning," offered Himejima sympathetically. "It's rather late now, and the demons run rampant,"

The mention of the accursed village made Kaigaku's skin crawl. He was not going to be sent back to the tiger's jaw just as he succeeded in freeing himself.

"My parents died a long time ago, and I have nowhere to go," said Kaigaku. "The villagers all hate me, so I ran away,"

"Is that so? Then, would you like to come along with us?" replied the blind man.

"We can give you some food and clothes," added Isshiki. "Maybe you can also join our family,"

_Family? _The notion was alien to Kaigaku. How can a person like him deserve to be a member of their family? Then again, they were offering him free food.

"I'll go with you," he answered.

-

His body cleansed and freshly clothed, Kaigaku felt free of all impurities. The abandoned temple's interior was surprisingly well kept. Eight other children watched him from a distance, curious as cats. The room was not too spacious, yet not too narrow for nine people to live comfortably. Kaigaku would soon learn that the wafts of flowers belonged to the wisteria incense that Himejima would burn every night, in order to ward off the demons prowling at night. Isshiki then offered him a small bowl of rice and some vegetables. "I'm sorry, but we don't have much for now," he apologised.

Seeing this amount of food, all meant for him, Kaigaku was immensely overjoyed as he scarfed everything, leaving nothing behind.

"You can have some more, if you want," offered Himejima.

Kaigaku nodded. Isshiki refilled his empty bowl with rice.

"I don't think I've caught your name," commented Himejima as Kaigaku inhaled seconds of his meal. "Where are my manners? My name is Himejima Gyomei, and I take care of the orphaned children here. I'm glad we found you before you're caught in danger,"

"Kaigaku," the boy managed to say between gulps of food. He was still ravenously hungry. Despite the meal being less flavourful than the scraps he procured from the restaurants, he thought it was infinitely more filling.

"Can I really stay here?" he asked, finishing the final mouthfuls of rice.

"Are you going to let him live with us, Himejima-san?" asked one of the children.

"We'll have one more person to play with, if he's staying,"

Kaigaku was taken aback. Nobody stood up for him for as long as he lived. _'Staying with them wouldn't be so bad, after all,'_ he thought.

"Since you have nowhere else to go, and the children are so excited to have you here, you're welcome to stay with us," replied Himejima with a slight smile. "Children, please treat Kaigaku well,"

The children surrounded their new family member, introducing themselves and asking him questions. The youngest girl, however, remained by Himejima's side, tugging at his shirt.

"What's wrong, Sayo?" he asked, giving her head a pat.

"Scared," she uttered, burying her head against his clothing.

"I'm sure Kaigaku is a good child, so please try to get along with him," reassured Himejima, letting the four year old sit in his lap.

**Ever since I read both Himejima and Kaigaku's backstory, I've always wanted to add on to their stories. I really like how the Demon Slayers' lives intertwine. I hope you enjoyed this, and stay tuned for the next chapter! **


	2. Chapter 2

The days passed by peacefully, akin to the serene undulation of a river; each synonymous to the other.

Living with Himejima and the other children opened Kaigaku's eyes to the life without fearing nor pillaging. He was able to wander around and play without a care for the world, and go home to a family, with food and a clean change of clothes waiting for him. Such a life was rather refreshing to him. But it felt empty.

"Come join us, Kaigaku," called Isshiki, a distance away. A younger child, Tamaki, was clinging onto him.

Kaigaku regarded Isshiki from the shrine entrance. "What's going on?"

Tamaki ran up the shrine steps nimbly. Pulling at Kaigaku's clothes, he said, "Come on, we're going to a river. It's going to be fun!"

Just then, a small roll fell out of Kaigaku's sleeves. In a flash, he pushed Tamaki away as he hid the roll in his waistband. Tamaki stared in astonishment. Isshiki managed to catch a glimpse of the roll. 'How did a child like him manage to gather up so much money in such a short time? What for, at any rate?' he mused.

He decided to see nothing. Putting on a smile, he retried. "Well, do you want to come along?"

Playing safe, Kaigaku agreed to go along.

-

Stripping their clothes off, Isshiki and Tamaki leapt into the water. The cool water was soothing to the touch.

"Don't worry, Kaigaku, it's not too cold," reassured Isshiki.

Hesitant, Kaigaku undressed slowly. Stepping into the water, he immediately felt at ease. Unlike the dirty water he used to bathe in, nor the water from the shrine well, this was leagues more refreshing and cleansing. A small shoal of fish passing by stood as proof.

"Watch this, Kaigaku," whispered Isshiki as he gestured a finger to his mouth.

Without warning, he sprang into the deeper region of the river. Moments later, the boy resurfaced, clutching a fish. Pride washed all over his face as he presented his prize to Kaigaku.

"Yay! Fish for dinner!" cheered Tamaki.

Kaigaku stared in awe. "You've gotta teach me how to do it,"

Kaigatku managed to catch some fish under Isshiki's tutelage. It was rather difficult, as he often lost patience and lashed out at the water. "Now, Kaigaku, getting angry won't help you catch the fish," warned Isshiki.

"What's all this commotion?" asked a voice.

Two girls emerged from the path leading to the river, toting baskets filled with vegetables.

"Hey, Saki, Sayo," greeted Isshiki. "I was just showing Kaigaku how to catch fish. We caught enough for everyone, too,"

"Fish," echoed Tamaki.

"That's great! We haven't had fish in a while," replied Saki as she found a seat on a boulder. Sayo followed suit.

The children fished till dusk. "It's getting dark already. Time for us to head home," announced Isshiki. "We still have to cook the fish, after all,"

The boys dried themselves up before heading home along with the girls. Himejima was just lighting up the wisteria incense when the children arrived. He was glad to hear that Kaigaku was fitting in so well with the others.

-

"Children, we're not receiving as many donations from the temple recently," announced Himejima when their meal commenced. "I'm afraid we'll have to cut down on our expenses,"

Isshiki blanched. Could the roll of money be a result of theft? They knew nothing of Kaigaku's upbringing, since he was rather secretive about it. He was disgusted at himself for having such notions about a sibling, but the thought niggled at his mind for quite some time. Kaigaku had always vehemently refused whenever the they invited him to the village, so Isshiki concluded that the money couldn't have come from there. Thus, the only other place he could've gotten money from was the temple. He stole a glance at Kaigaku, who showed no shadow of guilt as he shovelled rice into his mouth.

Isshiki wondered if he should tell Himejima. As the eldest child, he felt inclined to keep the children's behaviour in check. He eventually sought Saki's advice, and they agreed to keep an eye on Kaigaku.

-

For the next few days, the two noticed that Kaigaku would vanish on certain times of the day. They tailed him on a cloudy afternoon, and sure enough, Kaigaku led them to the temple. At this time, the temple was mostly vacant, as the monks were reciting their daily prayers in the main room. The pair watched as Kaigaku approached the unguarded donations box. Kaigaku had fashioned a piece of metal to pick the lock. When he was sure that the coast was clear, he began removing the money, from the box, rolling them neatly.

Saki stifled a gasp. "Should we tell Himejima-san about this?"

"I guess we should ask about his motives first, before anything," whispered Isshiki. "We've seen enough. Let's go back before the other children worry about us,"

As the children laid out the bedding before retiring into the night, Isshiki and Saki approached Kaigaku.

"Kaigaku, if you don't mind us asking, why did you steal the temple's donation money?" asked Isshiki.

Kaigaku clenched his jaw. "Do you have proof about that?"

"When Tamaki tugged at your shirt a few days ago, didn't a roll of money fall out?"

"And, I'm sorry to say this, Kaigaku, but we followed you today. We saw you pick the lock and take the money from the donations box in the temple," added Saki, distressed.

Exasperation riddled Kaigaku's expression. "Alright, you've found me out. What are you going to do about it? Snitch to Himejima and have me kicked out?" he growled.

"We're not here to teach you a lesson. It's just that we don't have much to get by, but if you have anything you need, you can just tell us. You don't have to resort to stealing," replied Saki, in hopes of deescalating the situation.

"Yeah, we're not going to tell Himejima-san. You should apologise and return the money, okay? We know you're a good kid, after all," assured Isshiki. "Get some sleep, okay? Good night,"

As the pair left, Kaigaku seethed in anger. He supposed it was his own negligence that led to his downfall. He was not sure if the children would report him to Himejima, and this has caused him to be in a pinch. He had planned to run away as soon as he had collected enough money, but the cat was already out of the bag and he cannot bear to wait anymore. He made up his mind to run on the next day.


	3. Chapter 3

The timing was immaculate. An hour was left before the sun spread its final glow throughout the land. Ensuring no eyes were following him, Kaigaku snuck away from the shrine. With one last glance at his temporary home, seeing Isshiki, Saki and Sayo collecting the laundry, Kaigaku vanished into the forest's darkness.

A faint rustling pricked his ears. His eyes scanned to perimeter, identifying the source. Dishevelled hair, horns on its humongous forehead, claws replacing its fingers, the creature regarded Kaigaku with unparalleled glee. If there was a word to describe the grotesque creature before him, it would be a monstrosity. Kaigaku wondered how it managed to be so well hidden from him this whole time.

"Did you get separated from your parents, child? Ah, it's been quite a while since I've eaten children," the demon's fangs glinted in the moon that emerged from the clouds.

Having never encountered a demon before, Kaigaku always thought of Himejima as a superstitious man. He now knew better, but at what cost? It had not crossed his mind to stock up on wisteria incense when he left. Driven by his primal instinct to survive, he decided to try striking a bargain with the demon. Kaigaku's throat was dry, and his feet stayed rooted to the ground.

He tried to shake away his fear. "If you don't eat me, sir, I'll let you eat even more children," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

"What's that? Are we striking a bargain?" the demon stuck a finger under its chin. "Very well, if you lie, I'll make sure you die a slow and agonizing death,"

Kaigaku had the demon follow him back to the shrine. He had ironically vowed to never set foot here again, too. Wafts of wisteria floated in the air.

"Are you stupid, child? Demons can't get near wisteria," the demon stopped Kaigaku with a clawed hand, a brief moment of fury crossing its eyes.

Kaigaku apologised as he darted towards the incense. As he extinguished them, he thought of smearing himself with the wisteria ashes, in case the demon decided to devour him as well. The scent that has saved him will once again be his salvation.

"Go ahead," offered Kaigaku, the incense all extinguished. The scent of wisteria gradually subsided.

"Seems like there's at least seven children in there. Today must be my lucky day," said the demon as it scampered into the shrine.

-

Himejima listened to the children's ecstatic chatter on how their day passed. Isshiki and Sayo exchanged glances, wondering what had happened to Kaigaku, as he was not around for dinner. Suddenly, the shrine door broke down. The children's voices immediately turned into terror. Himejima wondered what had transpired as a metallic scent entered his nose. _Blood_. Based on the number of voices he was able to hear, about three children had already ceased their screaming.

He surmised the survivors left were Isshiki, who was consoling a bawling Tamaki, and Saki, who ushered Sayo towards him. It was then, it occured to him, that he had not noticed Kaigaku the entire day.

"Seems like the kid wearing a magatama wasn't lying," said a grotesque voice. "These children are utterly delicious. I want more,"

A demon. Himejima was sure he lit the wisteria incense that night, as was all other nights. If that was so, who put out the incense?

-

"We must protect Himejima-san somehow," declared Isshiki, shaking in fear.

"But how?" asked Saki.

"You go out through the window and try to get the temple's help. I'll try to buy you time," Isshiki wasted no time in pushing Saki towards the window as he said so. "Just go. I'll see you soon,"

"Children, come over here," called Himejima as he cradled Sayo in his arms. However, he sensed the children building distance from him. He cursed himself for not being strong enough to protect them, as he beseeched the children to listen to him, and not pull any idiotic moves.

Isshiki charged towards the demon.

"Big Brother Isshiki!" exclaimed Tamaki, running after the older child.

"Tamaki, I told you to-" screamed Isshiki, surprised by Tamaki clinging onto him. Just then, he felt his head separate from his body. He was for once glad that Himejima was blind, which spared him from the horrific sight of the former's decapitation. As his life expired, Isshiki wished the rest of the children would find safety, and for Himejima to forgive him for what he did.

"Did you think you could outrun me, little girl?" taunted the demon as it licked its bloody fangs. Saki was not nearly as fast as the demon, and succumbed to death easily. She silently apologised to Isshiki and Himejima for not being able to get help in time.

Himejima could not stand down as the children were being eviscerated. His blood boiled at his uselessness as he slowly filled with rage. He sprang on the demon with his newfound speed and strength. He found it exhilarating.

Even if a child remains, he must protect them.

_He must protect Sayo_.

As he pinned the demon to the floor and pummelled him with his bare fists, he vowed to never forgive any demon. The squelch of a face being crushed into mush was sickening beyond compare, but he knew that their safety would be compromised if he stopped. He was aware he could never wash away the sin of attacking another living being, if demons can be considered as living, breathing creatures anyway. Regardless, Sayo's safety was his top priority. He was prepared to shoulder the sin.

-

The warmth of the rising sun brought relief to the cold land. The demon's remains disintegrated into ashes as the long night finally came to a close.

Sayo remained where she was, still sobbing. Unable to see clearly, she assumed Himejima was still attacking the demon.

Some villagers came over to the shrine at Kaigaku's behest. They did not recognise him as the dirty orphan who stole from them and slept in the streets, but rather a properly dressed child. Dead children strewn all over the shrine and Himejima's bloodied fists incriminated the latter.

Pointing at the floor by Himejima's feet, Sayo repeated, "It's him! The monster killed everyone! He said he wanted to eat us all!"

Himejima doubted his hearing for a moment. He did not want to believe the words that intruded his ears so. He strove so hard to protect her, yet she repaid her with this?

"What a disgusting person!"

"You must be hanged by tomorrow!"

"You don't deserve to live anymore!"

The villagers tied Himejima up as they continued to spew words of contempt at him.

What he will never notice was Sayo staring at him, confused at his arrest. _Where did the demon vanish to?_ As she was taken away, she wondered where they were taking Himejima, and why she was separated from him.

"Namu amida butsu," was all Himejima managed to say as he walked alongside the villagers who shot him repugnant glances.


	4. Chapter 4

The air was much heavier than normal. Sayo thought it would choke her if she failed to breathe properly._ 'Is something big going to happen?'_ she thought as she hurried her way home.

She was blocked by people clad in black as she approached her home. They formed a line, blocking her way.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you'll have to evacuate from here. It's not safe," said one of them.

"What's wrong? My home is just at the end of this street," protested Sayo, attempting to push through the group. The group did not yield.

"No can do, little miss. It's really getting dangerous, and everyone has already evacuated. Your family has probably arrived at the evacuation area. We even have a Pillar staking out here too, by the way," the Kakushi explained.

Just as Sayo opened her mouth to voice her confusion, she saw a horde of eyes chasing after a man with a katana in his hand. Behind the group, several humanoid demons followed. They were a spitting image of the demon that terrorized her family, separating her from Himejima all those years ago.

The Kakushi gasped. One of them broke from the line, scooping Sayo onto his back. As he ran away from the village, Sayo heard him exclaim, "Do you really want to get eaten by demons and never ever see your family again?"

Sayo could not think of a response. As they approached the woods, a person standing a distance away appeared in her line of sight, darting towards the pair.

The Kakushi cursed. "There's a demon so close to the evacuation area? Are the others on their way still safe?" he muttered to himself. "I can't fight, and it's too dangerous to go to the rendezvous. What should I do...?"

As the man considered his next move while on the run, Sayo wondered if this is karma for 'framing' Himejima and getting adopted by a well-off family, as if nothing had happened. She had never meant to accuse him, but she had failed to notice the demon's disintegration. She had really thought she pointed at the demon at Himejima's feet. If her punishment was to get eaten by this demon, then so be it. She implored the Kakushi to set her down and save himself.

"As tempting as it may be, I still have a duty to ensure your safety," was the man's answer as he made the decision to run back to the village. If luck permits, they might run into a Demon Slayer on the way.

Just then, an object flew past the pair, causing the demon to emit a guttural scream. Sayo turned around to see the demon collapsed to the ground, its head replaced by a mace.

"Amazing, we've been saved by the Pillar himself," said the Kakushi with a sigh of relief, and perhaps a degree of awe. "Thanks, Himejima-dono," he said as they passed the Demon Slayer.

Sayo did a double take. _'Did he just say Himejima?'_ The man, clad in a yellow haori was leagues stronger than the Himejima who took care of her and the other children many years ago. However, he still had the same aura about him. It always made her feel safe.

"Take her to the refuge, quickly," said Himejima before retrieving his mace. Sayo watched him say a short prayer for the disintegrating demon.

"Wait a moment, please put me down," Sayo begged the Kakushi.

"You really are a stubborn girl, you know that? Once and for all, my answer is no," sighed the man. "You remind me a little of Tanjiro-dono," he added to himself.

"I really need to talk to Himejima-san," explained Sayo as her voice hitched. "I need to apologise to him before it gets too late,"

Sensing her urgency, the Kakushi relented. Running back to where they encountered the demon, Sayo was glad to see the Rock Pillar still there.

"Why did you come back here? The safety of the child is very important," chastised Himejima.

"It's the girl, Himejima-dono. She insists to speak with you," said the Kakushi as he let Sayo down.

Sayo tugged at the Pillar's sleeve, an old habit of hers. Her mind was suddenly overwhelmed, reducing her to tears. No words were able to leave her mouth. Himejima was touched with a pang of nostalgia. Only Sayo would tug on his sleeves when she needed something.

"Sayo," was all that left his mouth. No emotion was betrayed in his tone. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he asked, "Why are you here, of all places?"

"I was adopted by merchants, and we happened to be staying here for a few months until my adoptive father finishes his business," answered Sayo quietly. "They treat me very kindly,"

"I'm glad you've been raised well,"

"Himejima-san,"

"Yes, Sayo?"

Sayo realized she might miss the chance if she hesitated even a moment longer.

She took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "I'm so sorry for all these years ago. I should've told you that I noticed Kaigaku putting out the incense and inviting the demon. I was very thankful that you saved me from the demon, but I didn't know what to do when they started taking you away from me. My adoptive parents told me you died because you tried to kill us, but I know it wasn't you, Hiimejima-san. I thought the blood of your death lies on my hands, I really do…" she lost her voice, overwhelmed by emotion.

Himejima listened quietly. The least he could do was to hear the child out. Her words, too, quelled the fires of his rage. It was, after all, a major misunderstanding. Gathering the girl into his arms, he pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Sayo,"

"I'm so glad you're alive, Himejima-san,"

"Everything's fine now,"

"Thank you so much for protecting me once more. You must've trained hard all these years,"

"It was not much,"

A voice abruptly pierced through the silent night.

"Message! Message! Attack on the Ubuyashiki Estate!"

Sayo could not see the source of the voice, but feeling Himejima tense up, she understood the urgency of the message. She let go of the hug.

"I must go now," said Himejima, patting Sayo's head. "You have grown so tall, too. I'm sure you're now a beautiful young lady," he said with a hint of a smile.

"Wherever you're going, please be careful, Himejima-san. I still have many other things to tell you," replied Sayo. "I hope I can see you again,"

"Take care of yourself, too. Don't cause the Kakushi here too much trouble, will you?" said the Pillar as he vanished into the night.

"I've never seen the Pillar be so emotional before," commented the Kakushi as he appeared out of nowhere.

Sayo jumped.

"You must've been someone very important to him. Now, listen to the Pillar and don't cause me any more trouble, you hear?" he said as Sayo climbed onto his back.

"Can you explain everything about the demons to me?" asked Sayo.

The Kakushi hesitated for a moment. "Sure, I can tell you all I know while we're on the way,"

As she listened about the history of the Demon Slayers and the long fought war between demons and humanity, Sayo built a new resolve in her heart. She must train to become a Demon Slayer, if it allowed her a chance to reunite with Himejima. She could not bear to lose him once more.


End file.
